Photo Op
by Goddess Isa
Summary: This is part of a Xander/Cordelia series that takes place on Angel and you don’t need to be reading the others to read this one, thank goodness ‘cause the series is a mess.  Cordy has second thoughts about acting


TITLE: Photo Op  
AUTHOR: Goddess Isa  
EMAIL: goddessisa@aol.com  
SUMMARY: This is part of a Xander/Cordelia series that takes place on Angel and you don't need to be reading the others to read this one, thank goodness 'cause the series is a mess. Cordy has second thoughts about acting  
SPOILER: Minor for ANGEL in general  
DISTRIBUTION: Sandee, of course - My site - http://planetangelus.homestead.com - Crystal and Butterfly if they want it - A Soul's Redemption - Anyone else - sure, just email me & lmk where it's going - I like seeing my name in print =)  
RATING: TV-PG  
DISCLAIMER: Stupidhead Joss owns da characters. Probably.  
  
  
  
"Hi!" Cordelia breezed into Angel's office and smiled brightly at him. "How are you?"  
  
He didn't look up from his computer since there was only one reason Cordelia ever came in on Saturdays, her day off. "How much, Cordelia?" he was supposed to be entering new clients into his database, but he was chatting online with Willow. About Buffy.  
  
"Well, it's a really, really good investment."  
  
He hit the 'send' button and looked at her. "How much?"  
  
"Thirty-five hundred."  
  
He took his frustration out by squeezing the mouse until it cracked. "What for?!?!?!"  
  
"My pictures."  
  
"You need almost four thousand dollars for pictures?!?!?!?"  
  
"If I'm gonna make it as an actress and get the Hell outta here--no offense--yes! I'm gonna need these pictures."  
  
"I'll buy a Polaroid," Angel said dryly.  
  
"An-gel! Pleeeeeeease! I need the really good kind!"  
  
He sighed. "All right, but I get to see them first and make sure you get my money's worth."  
  
She ran over and hugged him. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"  
  
"No nudes!" he called as she took off to find Doyle and tell him the great news.  
  
*****  
  
Philip Meyers was chosen to be Cordelia's photographer. Her agent with Elite, Margrett Francois, told her that he was the best a newcomer like herself could get.  
  
"You know," she'd told Cordelia over the phone. "You'd do much better if you were willing to start out with a topless shoot."  
  
Cordy thought of Xander and his Playboy subscription. He'd be in his bed, an apple pie in one hand, the magazine in the other.   
  
She shivered. "Um, no. That's not for me."  
  
"Suit yourself."  
  
Cordelia was now at the studio, changing into outfit number one behind a purple Oriental screen. The deep shade of lavender seemed almost poured over the leather dress she was trying to slide into. It was a bit much, even for Cordelia, but she put it and the matching black boots on anyway. She stepped out for all to see, slightly self-conscious.  
  
"Lovely, Cordelia, really." Sharee, the stylist told her. "Really. Let's get your hair and makeup finished now."  
  
She settled into a big leather chair and let the woman work. She mused about Xander and their future and how much he'd like the pictures.  
  
"What do you think?" Sharee asked, standing back so Cordelia could see herself in the mirror.  
  
Hooker. That was the first word that came to mind, and it was followed immediately by 'tramp' and 'slut'.  
  
"Nice, huh?" Samantha, another stylist commented.  
  
"Yeah, it's great," Cordy said. "Um, is Philip going for the vixen look or something?"  
  
"No, sugar," Sharee said. "He just wants to accentuate all your best features."  
  
"You have wonderful breasts," Samantha added.  
  
Cordy shivered and turned away from herself in the mirror. She suddenly felt a great deal like Faith, and instantly she sprinted to the bathroom and threw up.  
  
"Models," Sharee commented. "Come on, I'll fix your makeup."  
  
*****  
  
Cordelia never knew getting pictures taken was such hard work. She was on her fifth outfit now, a sexy burgundy silk nightgown and black high heels. She was laying out on silver sheets, making dazed expressions per Philip's instructions.  
  
"Lovely, Cordelia." Philip said. "Now, can you look almost as if you just woke up from a dream that you're terrified of?"  
  
She did as she was told and prayed for the day to be over soon.  
  
*****  
  
"How was the shoot?" Angel asked when she came through the door at four a.m.  
  
"I'm exhausted."  
  
"Smiling always was a job for you," he joked.  
  
"Actually, lots of the pictures were supposed to be serious." she threw the proofs at him. "I'm going to bed at Xander's."  
  
"Right now?" he asked. "No hour-long routine in my bathroom 'cause Xander's is too gross?"  
  
"Too tired," she mumbled.   
  
He shook his head and smirked. He hoped he could sleep through her screams when she woke up and saw her makeup-streaked face and tangled hair the next morning.  
  
  
*****  
  
  
A few weeks later, an assistant called Cordelia to tell her the photos were done and could be picked up whenever she wanted. Cordy talked both Xander and Angel into going with her to pick the photos up at her appointment for seven-twenty p.m.  
  
"This way, I can get your opinion," she smiled.  
  
The three of them took Angel's car to the photographer's studio and Philip's assistant Lydia was waiting for her at the door.  
  
"Come in, come in," she said, locking the door behind them. "I didn't realize you were going to bring your bodyguards with you."  
  
"I'm actually not--"  
  
"You think I'm her bodyguard?" Xander asked excitedly, cutting Angel off.  
  
"How do the photos look?" Cordy asked as she sat on the other side of Lydia's desk to check out the proofs.  
  
"I love them. Philip is still a bit unsure of the jeans shoot, but I think we made a nice statement with the photos."  
  
Cordy nodded as she went through them. There were hundreds, but each and every one she looked at with the magnifying lens looked the same.  
  
Cheap.  
  
"These are...okay," Cordy finally said.  
  
"They'll make for a great comp card," Lydia put them back into their box and handed them to Cordelia without giving Xander or Angel the oportunity to look them over. "Take these to Margrett as soon as possible now, to get your career going. Good luck!"  
  
Cordy thanked her and left. She walked out to Angel's car in silence, and when he finally started up the engine, he asked, "What's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing," she said, staring out the window. "Thank you for the photos. I'll pay you back. Every penny."  
  
Angel only nodded. He knew something was up, he just wasn't sure what.  
  
He threw a glance in Xander's direction, but the boy just shrugged. He was as clueless as Angel was.  
  
  
*****  
  
  
The next day, Cordy dropped her photos off at Margrett's office and was going to head to Angel Investigations to do some paperwork when she drove past the Target where she bought office supplies and magazines with Angel's credit card. She turned into the parking lot and once she was through the doors, she went directly past the temptation of jewelry and makeup and straight to the camera counter.  
  
"I need a simple camera," she told the clerk. "Something with drop in film."  
  
He showed her a Kodak Advantix that was exactly what she wanted. She purchased two three-roll packs of film, too, hoping that Angel wouldn't mind too much.  
  
She began shooting things inside the store. A little girl asleep in her father's arms in the food court. Two grandmothers holding up bras for size. A blind woman's Seeing Eye dog sniffing out a pair of plaid pajama pants.  
  
Cordy dropped the finished roll off to be developed and drove back to the office.  
  
She became obsessed with shooting pictures from that moment on. She shot photos of Angel, of Wesley and Gunn, of Xander sleeping on the office couch. Everything she could fit inside the lens, she took a picture of. Wesley began calling her Linda McCartney, because she was known for capturing every part of her life in pictures.  
  
Weeks passed, and Cordy went on fewer and fewer auditions. Instead, she started arranging her photos in collages and scanning them onto the Internet.  
  
"Cordelia!" Angel called her into his office. "I need to talk to you."  
  
"Yeah?" she peeked her head in, the camera around her neck.  
  
"Close the door."  
  
Cordy did as he asked and waited. "What's up?"  
  
"I was wondering if you'd show me the pictures you chose to use in your code cards."  
  
Cordy laughed. "They're called *comp* cards, Angel. And I don't have any yet."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"I, um, told Margrett to wait on that awhile," she bit her bottom lip and stared at the floor. "I don't think acting is really the right career for me, Angel. I've been thinking about taking up photography. At least, as a hobby."  
  
Angel motioned towards his walls, which, like every other wall in the building, were covered in photos she had taken. "I think you've already surpassed hobby status."  
  
"I'm obsessed, aren't I? Sorry."  
  
"Don't be. I was thinking maybe you should enter one of your photos in this contest," he handed her a flyer he'd gotten through a friend of Wesley's. "The winner gets ten thousand bucks towards a trip to shoot anything he or she wants."  
  
"Wow," she glanced at the flyer. "But none of my pictures would ever be that good."  
  
"Just think about it," Angel said. "And please bring me the file we kept on the Lofter case. I just don't think that demon is completely dead."  
  
Cordy nodded and left the office, closing the door behind her. It was only then that Angel her heard squeal happily.  
  
  
*****  
  
  
"What does it say?" Xander asked, jumping around like a little kid on Christmas morning.  
  
"It says, 'Dear Ms. Chase. Congratulations, your photo entitled 'A Boy And His Dream' has one fourth place in our humor catagory.' Wow," she put the letter down and smiled. "Fourth place. This is the first time I've ever won anything that wasn't a beauty pageant."  
  
"Congratulations," Wesley said.  
  
"I knew you could do it," Xander gave her a kiss.  
  
"You knocked 'em dead," Gunn added supportively.  
  
"What did you win?" Angel asked.  
  
"Four thousand dollars. And I know just what I'm doing with it."  
  
"Buying one of those fancy digital cameras that can shoot movies too?" Xander asked.  
  
"Going to Hawaii to shoot the waterfalls?" Angel guessed.  
  
"Buying a bunch of them expensive Italian shoes you're always talking about?" Gunn figured.  
  
"Nope. I'm paying Angel back for the comp card photos," she handed him the check.  
  
"Cordy, you don't have to--"  
  
"I know. I want to. Do something meaningful with it," she shot him a Look. Angel groaned. He knew what she meant.  
  
And even though it probably wasn't the best idea, he got in his car and drove straight to Sunnydale.


End file.
